Strawberry variety named &#39;Evangeline&#39;

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a strawberry plant ( Fragaria ananassa ) named ‘Evangeline’ characterized by its large firm fruit and large flowers. The cultivar exhibits high yield when propagated in the field.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention includes a new and distinct cultivar ofFragaria ananassa known by the varietal name ‘Evangeline’, originallydesignated as “K93-1”. The new variety resulted from a controlled crossin an ongoing breeding program between the strawberry plants ‘K88-4’ and‘NYUS119’. ‘K88-4’ is an unpatented variety developed by the AtlanticFood and Horticulture Research Centre (a facility of Agriculture andAgri-Food Canada) in Kentville and ‘NYUS119’ is an unpatented varietydeveloped by the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station inGeneva. ‘Evangeline’ was discovered in 1993 as a seedling in acontrolled breeding plot near Sheffield Mills, Nova Scotia at theSheffield Farm, a field-station of the Atlantic Food and HorticultureResearch Centre, where it was selected and propagated asexually bystolons at the Atlantic Food and Horticulture Research Centre inKentville. Asexual propagules from this original source have beenproduced annually in a greenhouse at the Atlantic Food and HorticultureResearch Centre, Kentville, Canada. ‘Evangeline’ has been tested at theAtlantic Food and Horticulture Research Centre (starting in 1994) andalso, research centres at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island,Buctouche, New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, and Pynn's Brook,Newfoundland, all of Canada. This propagation and testing hasdemonstrated that the combination of traits disclosed herein whichcharacterize the new variety are fixed and retained true to type throughsuccessive generations of asexual reproduction via stolons.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0002]FIG. 1 shows plant parts of the new variety, typical in size,shape, and color;

[0003]FIG. 2 shows the flowers of the new variety; and

[0004]FIG. 3 shows primary fruit of the new variety.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

[0005] The following detailed botanical description of the new varietyis based upon measurements and observations taken of plants and fruitgrown in Kentville, Nova Scotia, Canada. Observations were taken fromeach variety as grown in a side-by-side field trial. Color designations,color descriptions, and other phenotypical descriptions may deviate fromthe stated values and description depending upon variation in theenvironment, seasonal, climatic and cultural conditions, however, it isbelieved that this description will apply to the ‘Evangeline’ plantsgrown in similar conditions of soil and climate elsewhere. Colorreferences are made to the R.H.S. Colour Chart of The RoyalHorticultural Society of London (1966 edition). Descriptive informationon the new variety is presented in Tables 1, 2, and 3. In the tables,the flowers described are secondary flowers. The fruit described is thesecondary fruit of the maiden crop, thirteen or fourteen months afterplanting. The harvest data in Table 4 is based on a complete harvest ofthe crop. The principal differences between ‘Evangeline’ and each of theunpatented variety ‘Veestar’ and ‘Sable’ (patent pending) are set forth.

[0006] Classification: The new variety is botanically identified asFragaria ananassa and commercially classified as a short-day strawberry.

[0007] Plant and Foliage Characteristics: When propagated in thenursery, ‘Evangeline’ runners freely produce similar quantities ofrunner plants to ‘Veestar’ and ‘Sable’. Individual plants of‘Evangeline’ are medium to large. The plants of ‘Evangeline’ are ofmedium density with globose habit and strong vigor. As shown in Table 1,leaf color of ‘Evangeline’, ‘Veestar’ and ‘Sable’ are Green Group 137Aon the upper surface and lighter Green Group 137C on the under surface.Leaflets of ‘Evangeline’ and the reference varieties are about the samesize, shape and convexity, and leaves of all three varieties have threeleaflets. The leaflet serrations of ‘Evangeline’ are similar in size andnumber to ‘Veestar’ but for ‘Evangeline’ they are more pointed and thetip serration is smaller than for ‘Veestar’. The venation of‘Evangeline’ leaflets is pinnate. Petiole pubescence for ‘Evangeline’tends to be oriented upwards whereas for ‘Veestar’ and ‘Sable’pubescence is perpendicular. TABLE 1 Foliar Characteristics for‘Evangeline’, ‘Veestar’ and ‘Sable’ Cultivar Foliar Character‘Evangeline’ ‘Veestar’ ‘Sable’ Leaf color Green Group Green Group GreenGroup Upper surface 137A 137A 137A Lower surface 137C 137C 137C Centralleaflet Length (mm) Mean 80.3 86.3 79.0 Range 60-93 62-110 70-93 Width(mm) Mean 65.7 68.0 63.9 Range 47-77 50-85 55-77 Length/width ratio 1.221.27 1.24 No. leaflets/leaf 3 3 3 Leaf convexity cupped cupped cuppedSerrations Number moderate moderate many Size medium medium small Shapesemi-pointed semi-round semi-round Tip serration size small medium smallLeaf pubescence medium medium medium Petiole pubescence Density sparsesparse sparse Direction upwards perpendicular perpendicular

[0008] Flower and Fruit Characteristics: The length of bloom for‘Evangeline’ is about three weeks when grown in Kentville, Nova Scotia,Canada in a matted row cultural system. Flowering for ‘Evangeline’,‘Veestar’, and ‘Sable’ typically begins on May 21 and ends on June 11.As shown in Table 2, the flower truss of ‘Evangeline’ is shorter thanfor ‘Sable’ and opens slightly lower in relation to the canopy.‘Evangeline’ flower trusses produce fewer flowers than do the trusses of‘Veestar’ and ‘Sable’. Flowers of ‘Evangeline’ and the referencevarieties are white. The anther color is Yellow-Orange Group 17A.Secondary flowers of ‘Evangeline’ usually have 5 petals, and‘Evangeline’ flowers are larger than those of ‘Veestar’ and ‘Sable’.Petals of ‘Evangeline’ are longer than wide in contrast to the petals of‘Veestar’ and ‘Sable’ which are wider than long. Petals of ‘Veestar’ and‘Sable’ tend to overlap while those of ‘Evangeline’ are spaced. Trussesof ‘Evangeline’ are erect at first picking and continue to be erectwhile those of ‘Veestar’ and ‘Sable’ are semi-erect becoming prostrateas harvest progresses. ‘Evangeline’ has a larger calyx than does‘Veestar’ and ‘Sable’. The position of the calyx is raised for‘Evangeline’, even with the top of the fruit for ‘Veestar’ and often ina basin for ‘Sable’. The calyx is easily separated from the fruit forall three varieties. The fruit of ‘Evangeline’ are larger than for‘Veestar’ but both are conic in shape while the fruit of ‘Sable’ arewider than long giving a cordate shape. The seeds of ‘Evangeline’ aremore indented than for ‘Veestar’ and ‘Sable’ and ‘Evangeline’ fruit hasfirmer flesh. The fruit color of ‘Evangeline’ varies between the lighterRed Group 45A of ‘Sable’ to the darker Red Group 46A of ‘Veestar’. Thepith of ‘Evangeline’ is lighter than for ‘Veestar’ and ‘Sable’. Theachenes of ‘Evangeline’ are Green-Yellow Group 1A but darken toOrange-Red Group 34A on the side of the fruit when exposed to sunlight.TABLE 2 Flower and Fruit Characteristics for ‘Evangeline’, ‘Veestar’,and ‘Sable’. Cultivar Character ‘Evangeline’ ‘Veestar’ ‘Sable’ Flowerposition even or beneath even (relative to leaf canopy) slightly beneathFlower truss length short-medium short-medium medium-long 23.8 22.6 28.8cm Number of flowers/truss  5.4  6.9  8.0 Number of petals  5.0  5.5 5.3 Flower size 27.9 23.6 25.2 (mm diameter) Flower color White WhiteWhite Petal length (mm) 11.6  9.2  9.6 Petal width (mm) 10.4 10.3 11.4Petal spacing spaced slightly slightly overlapping overlapping Calyxsize Inner calyx (mm diam.) 27.7 21.2 24.6 Outer calyx (mm diam.) 28.119.7 24.2 Calyx position raised even even to in a basin Adherence of thecalyx weak weak weak Fruit size and shape Length (mm) 30.3 27.5 25.1Width (mm) 29.1 25.5 32.0 Length/width ratio  1.04  1.08  0.78Subjective fruit shape conic to long- conic to short- cordate conicconic Seed position indent even slight indent Fruit firmness firm softmedium Fruit firmness (N)  3.4  2.8  3.0 Skin toughness (g) 10.3  8.411.6 Color (R.H.S. Colour Chart) Calyx Green Group Green Group GreenGroup 137C 137C 137C Fruit exterior Red Group Red Group Red Group 45A to46A near 46A 45A Fruit interior Pith Red Group Red Group Red Group 41Anear 46B 42B Cortex Red Group Red Group Red Group 45B near 463 42A

[0009] Disease Resistance: ‘Evangeline’ and ‘Veestar’ have a similarpattern of resistance to red stele root rot (Phytophthora fragariae) andthey show much less resistance than ‘Sable’ which is resistant to theprevalent A-6 race, as shown in Table 3. ‘Evangeline’ is resistant topowdery mildew (Sphaerotheca macularis) while ‘Veestar is moderatelyresistant and ‘Sable’ is susceptible. ‘Evangeline’ and ‘Veestar’ areless affected by fruit rot (Botrytis cinerea) than ‘Sable’. TABLE 3Resistance of ‘Evangeline’, ‘Veestar’, and ‘Sable’ to races ofPhytophthora fragariae (red stele root rot) Cultivar Canadian raceAmerican race ‘Evangeline’ ‘Veestar’ ‘Sable’ C-1 S S I C-2 A-6 S S R C-3A-4 R R R C-4 A-3 I S R C-5 A-5 S S S C-6 A-7 R R S C-7 S S S C-8 S S S

[0010] Production Characteristics: ‘Evangeline’ has been widely testedfor several years. ‘Evangeline’ has produced moderate yields, generallysimilar to ‘Veestar’ but below ‘Sable’, as shown in Table 4. The percentmarketability of ‘Evangeline’ is generally above the marketability of‘Veestar’ and ‘Sable’. The fruit of ‘Evangeline’ are much larger (byweight) than ‘Veestar’ but similar to ‘Sable’. The mean harvest date for‘Evangeline’ is about the same as ‘Veestar’ or about one day later.Subjectively, the flavor of the fruit of ‘Evangeline’ is rated good tovery good when fully ripe. TABLE 4 Performance of ‘Evangeline’ andVeestar’ or ‘Sable’ for 1997, 1998 and 2000 averaged over severalsites.* Total Yield % Yield Mean Harvest (t/ha) Marketable Size(g/fruit) (day of year) 1997 (five sites) ‘Evangeline’ 4.2 91.7 10.1197.6 ‘Veestar’ 6.4 82.6 8.3 196.8 ‘Sable’ 7.4 87.7 10.7 197.7 1998(four sites) ‘Evangeline’ 5.06 80.1 9.2 186.0 ‘Veestar’ 6.38 71.6 9.4185.4 ‘Sable’ 7.52 72.8 9.7 185.5 1998 (one site) ‘Evangeline’ 11.6196.8 13.2 179.2 ‘Veestar’ 12.04 92.4 8.0 178.3 ‘Sable’ 19.74 87.1 11.7180.3 2000 (three sites) ‘Evangeline’ 6.0 93.1 9.7 192.4 ‘Sable’ 11.587.1 9.6 191.7

I claim:
 1. The new and distinct variety of strawberry plant named‘Evangeline’ as described and illustrated.